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What Coloradoans are saying: Bill Kendall of Colorado Economics Futures Panel & Predisent of the Center for Business & Economic Forecasting in Denver Denver Post: TABOR has no effect as far as cutting state expenditures during the past three years... Since TABOR's enactment, Colorado's average income has grown from a level in the mid-range of all states toone in the top 10, while its per capita state spending remained near the bottom. Colorado became a relatively wealthy state but continued to spend more like a moderate-income state. State Representative Dave Schultheis, R-Colorado Springs: Colorado Springs Gazette “Is it better to have $4 billion in the pockets of the government or is it better to have $4 billion in our pockets so we can spend it?” August 16, 2005. Colorado Republican Business Coalition: Press Release “The board of directors of the Colorado Republican Business Coalition (CRBC) announce a formal opposition by the statewide group of small business owners to Referenda C and D, scheduled for the November 1, 2005 election. The July 22 decision by the board was unanimous.” August 11, 2005 Out-going CRBC chairman John Nelson: Press Release “If there was a state budget crisis, it’s over! Our State budget increased from $12 billion to $15 billion during the recession. State workers received their pay increases, while many in the private sector took pay cuts. If there was a crisis, it was a problem of imbalance in State budget categories.” August 11, 2005 Marie Rossmiller Former CRBC chairperson
Press Release “What challenges we face require much less
adjustment than is proposed in C and D. There is no need for the State
to take away tax refunds from the average taxpayer, which are small the
first year, but are estimated to total $3,200 per family over the five-year
suspension of TABOR. This amounts to a tax increase and affects
not just the average taxpayer, but also the individual who pays no income
tax – such as lower income and senior citizens who are eligible
for refunds because they also pay state sales taxes.” August 11,
2005. Former CRBC Chairman Jim Noon:
Press Release “It is difficult to believe the figures cited
by the proponents of C and D. They claim State government needs
the $3.7 billion that would be kept from the private sector if voters
approve C and D. Yet, before the legislative compromise that became
Referenda C and D, the governor’s office estimated the State’s
fiscal problems could be solved for $500 million. The Legislature
needs to take a closer look at the numbers and develop fiscal adjustments
that do not take away taxpayer refunds for five years.” August 11,
2005 Howard Dean: Colorado Democratic Party Week in Review "Democrats in Colorado should be proud of their accomplishments in 2004. We have proven that Colorado is not a red state anymore." July 22, 2005 (July 14, 2005 at the Jefferson County Fairgrounds). Democratic Party Week in Review "On Saturday, July 9, 2005 the Colorado Democratic State Executive Committee voted to fully support the Colorado Economic Recovery Act, which will appear on the November 1, 2005 statewide ballot as Referenda C & D." Colorado July 22, 2005 Marc Holtzman: The Denver Post "The same people that brought us the Democratic House, Senate and Sen. Ken Salazar, now want to raise your taxes." June 30, 2005 Senate Minority Leader Mark Hillmam: Fiscal Follies newsletter"if the message from majority Democrats to voters is that "the state is headed over a budgetary cliff," the voters should fire back, "Then, take your foot off the accelerator!" The Wall Street Journal "Mr. Owens has been at politics long enough to know that if you're a Republican being praised in the press for having grown in office, then you've probably surrendered some principle." January, 28th 2005 Governor Bill Owens: The Wall Street Journal "... the way to tackle fiscal challenges is to 'tie the growth in state government to the annual growth in inflation and population, as we have done in Colorado.'" Oct. 16th 2003 Colorado Springs Gazette Our View "... it's hard to sell the public on the idea that the sky is falling, fiscally speaking, and to ask taxpayers to forego more than $3 billion in future TABOR refunds, while passing a 2006 budget with nearly $1 billion in new spending." April 10th 2005 Al Knight: Denver Post "The forces that will be arrayed on behalf of Referendum C this fall will be formidable. The campaign will doubtless be filled with images of packed nursing homes, dilapidated schools and crowded roads, pictures intended to suggest that the state is about to achieve Third World status." May 10th 2005 Al Knight: Denver Post "... our state's leaders have been threatening to abandon fiscal discipline, and are looking high and low for ways to raise taxes and get around TABOR." May 10th 2005 Former Congressman Scott McInnis: Backbone Radio: "The people can spend that money better than government can." March 27th 2005. Governor Bill Owens: "Friends, we can and we must overcome this challenge. To do this, we must treat Colorado's budget the same way a Colorado family deals with its household budget." 1993. Marc Holtzman: Backbone America survey "I have publicly expressed my concerns about this measure... could not support it." April 26th 2005 Congressman Bob Beauprez: Backbone America survey "What a chain saw would be to brain surgery... a blunt instrument for a delicate job... a $3 billion tax increase." 4/26/05 Former House Majority Leader Dick Armey: KBDI Channel 12 debate vs. Gov. Owens "Leave the Taxpayer's Bill of Rights in place, with its restraint on growth... Give people the tax rebates that they earned." June 28th 2005 Former Congressman Scott McInnis: Highlands Ranch Republican Club "It is in fact a tax increase, and once government gets all that new money, there's no going back." June 24th 2005 Marc Holtzman: Denver Post "Left-wing forces... want to raise your taxes... my conscience cannot support this." June 30th 2005. Congressman Bob Beauprez: Arapahoe Republican Men's Club "If I had to vote today, I'd vote no. This is the biggest tax increase ever in the state of Colorado. We don't know if it's $3.1 billion, we just know it's everything – everything that comes in for five years. After that you have a government that's on steroids, and then how do you stop them?" July 6th 2005 Dan Hopkins (Owens Spokesman): Rocky Mountain News "certainly is good for Colorado... the economy is clearly recovering." June 17th 2005. Al Knight: Denver Post "In last November's elections, our state was the only one in the country that gave liberals reason to smile, as they won our U.S. Senate race and gained control of the state legislature. Since that time, our state's leaders have been threatening to abandon fiscal discipline, and are looking high and low for ways to raise taxes and get around TABOR. Our state has become notorious as the home of Professor Ward Churchill, with his anti-American hate-mongering and questionable academic record... Caldara and the Independence Institute are not only the state's best hope of getting another point of view. They are, at this point, the only hope. " Mike Littwin: Rocky Mountain News "Of course, if Referendum C Passes, it helps the Democrats in the 2006 legislative elections and possibly in the gubernatorial election, too." May 10th 2005. |
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